The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
A typical multiple speed automatic transmission uses a combination of friction clutches and brakes, planetary gear arrangements and fixed interconnections to achieve a plurality of gear ratios. The number and physical arrangement of the clutches and brakes, generally, are dictated by packaging, cost and desired speed ratios.
While current automatic transmissions achieve their intended purpose, the need for new and improved clutch and brake configurations which exhibit improved performance, especially from the standpoints of efficiency, responsiveness and smoothness and improved packaging, primarily reduced size and weight, is essential. For example, there is a constant desire to reduce spin losses in rotating clutches within electrically variable automatic transmissions. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved, cost-effective, compact electrically variable transmission having multiple power-split modes of operation and reduced spin losses during clutch actuation.